WMS switch compensation patent expires today or Sep 19 2006?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Today might be the day...!

The infamous WMS switch compensation patent:

4,763,256

Filed on Sep 19 1986
Issued on Aug 9 1988

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,763,256.WKU.&OS=PN/4,763,256&RS=PN/4,763,256

These date ranges fall within the "transition time", from the old
standard of 17-years-from-issuing, to the new standard of
20-years-from-filing.

http://www.lectlaw.com/files/inp03.htm

So, does the patent expire TODAY, or do we still have to wait until Sep
19 2006?

It would just make my day if it were today....

Josh

 

[martin]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

Looks to me like it gets the 20 years provision, so you'll have to wait
a year until you unveil your super-duper new pinball machine.

 

[cah]

Archived from groups: rec.games.pinball (More info?)

On 2/8/03 2:01 AM, Keith P. Johnson wrote:

> When the law was passed, patents got whatever ruling was most
> favorable to them. Autopercentaging is around for at least another 3
> years.

Yep, unfortunately I believe the patent is around until '06